Tribals in Jharkhand's Karandih area take part in sheep fight festival

Revellers gathered with their strongest sheep in a contest that pitted different villages against one another.

As the sheep charged at each other, the audience cheered to the sounds of horns slamming together, egging their fighters on for a victory. The fall of one sheep signalled a win for the other, the victor being presented with a garland.

An organiser, Gosain Soren, said: "Originally, these fights used to happen only in Odisha, and were attended by tribals in large numbers. It is a dying tradition, and we decided to pit sheep from two villages against each other in a friendly fight, because this fight has not taken place in Jharkhand before."

Soren downplayed worries that the fights were brutal for the sheep.

"Even cockfights are violent, and there are wins and losses there as well. The sheep also do not get hurt very badly in these fights," he said.

The Sohrai festival is popularly associated with cattle and coincides with Diwali. Cattle and other livestock are washed and worshipped prior to the entertainment. (ANI)